Bush Delays Offensives In Iraq

October 11, 2004|By Mark Mazzetti, Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration will delay major assaults on rebel-held cities in Iraq until after U.S. elections in November, say administration officials, mindful that large-scale military offensives could affect the U.S. presidential race.

Although American commanders in Iraq have been buoyed by successes in insurgent-held towns such as Samara and Talafar, administration and Pentagon officials say they will not try to retake cities such as Fallujah and Ramadi -- where U.S. military casualties could be the greatest -- until after Americans vote.

"Once you're past the election, it changes the political ramifications" of a large-scale offensive, one senior administration official said on condition of anonymity. "We're not on hold right now. We're just not as aggressive."

Any delay in pacifying Iraq's most troublesome areas could alter the dynamics of a different election -- the one in January, when Iraqis are to elect members of a national assembly. U.S. commanders are scrambling to enable voting in as many Iraqi cities as possible.

U.S. officials say there have been no direct orders to commanders in the field to pause operations. Top administration officials in Washington are simply reluctant to sign off on a major offensive in Iraq at the height of the political season.

Pentagon officials said they see a benefit to holding off on an offensive in the Sunni Triangle. By waiting, they allow more time for political negotiations and targeted airstrikes in Fallujah to weaken insurgents.